Champions of Trust

15-02-2017

Public trust in government and big business is dropping at an alarming rate. Whether viewed through a political lens in the surprising Brexit and U.S. presidential votes, or the consumer and regulatory backlash against a corporation embroiled in scandal, the repercussions of those misgivings can be profound.

This growing distrust reflects a fundamental erosion of faith in the institutions that are the bedrock of modern civilizations. As internal auditors, we are guardians of trust in the organizations we serve, and to be effective, our stakeholders must be confident that we will do the right thing, speak the truth, and be courageous. I gave a great deal of thought to what makes a trusted leader while researching my new book, Trusted Advisors: Key Attributes of Outstanding Internal Auditors. My research, assisted by The IIA’s Audit Executive Center (AEC ), included surveying some of the top professionals in internal auditing about what attributes they believe are essential to becoming a trusted advisor. Toward the top of the list is ethical commitment. An excerpt from the book focuses on this trait and discusses why internal auditors must go beyond commitment and demonstrate ethical resilience.